Iryū: Team Medical Dragon (Japanese: 医龍-Team Medical Dragon-, Hepburn: Iryū Chīmu Medikaru Doragon) is a Japanese medicalmanga series created by Akira Nagai and illustrated by Tarō Nogizaka; following Nagai's death in 2004, Nogizaka became the sole author, with medical supervision taken by Mie Yoshinuma. The manga was serialized in Shogakukan's seinen manga magazine Big Comic Superior from April 2002 to January 2011, with its chapters collected in 25 tankōbon volumes.
It was adapted into a live action series, which was broadcast for three seasons between April 2006 and December 2010.
Ryūtarou Asada is a prodigal surgeon who was exiled from the medical field. He is recruited by Akira Katō, an assistant professor, who wishes to use his skills to complete her thesis on the Batista procedure to promote herself politically in order to change the corruption in the Japanese medical system. Ryūtarou accepts and begins by recruiting a team skilled enough for the surgery.
Characters
Ryūtarou Asada (朝田龍太郎, Asada Ryūtarou)
Ryūtarou is a prodigal surgeon who was framed for medical malpractice and exiled from the medical field. He is recruited by Akira Katō to work in a medical university. He was portrayed in the live action series by Kenji Sakaguchi.[2]
Akira Katō (加藤晶, Katō Akira)
Akira is an assistant professor who aims to become a professor to change the corrupt Japanese medical system. She is portrayed in the live action series by Izumi Inamori.[2]
Noboru is a hard working medical intern who is not assimilated into the corrupt Japanese medical system. He is portrayed in the live action series by Teppei Koike.[2]
Keisuke Fujiyoshi (藤吉圭介, Fujiyoshi Keisuke)
Keisuke is a cardiologist whose priority is for the patient and not the hospital. He is portrayed by Kuranosuke Sasaki.[2]
Monji Arase (荒瀬門次, Arase Monji)
Monji is a skilled anesthesiologist who charges high amount for every surgery. He is portrayed in the live action series by Sadao Abe.[2]
Takeo Noguchi (野口賢雄, Noguchi Takeo)
Takeo is the professor of the cardiology department. He values his reputation over the lives of his patients. He is portrayed in the live action series by Ittoku Kishibe.[2]
Gunji Kirishima (霧島軍司, Kirishima Gunji)
Gunji is Miki's half brother and is a strong political figure in the medical field. He was the one who framed Asada for medical malpractice and used his influence to exile him from the medical field. He is portrayed in the live action series by Kazuki Kitamura.[2]
Naoto Kitō (鬼頭直人, Kitō Naoto)
Naoto Kitō is the professor of the emergency department who wants to recruit Ryūtarou into his department.
Shōko Kitō (鬼頭笙子, Kitō Shōko)
Shōko Kitō is the professor of the emergency department. She is later the dean of the hospital. She is portrayed in the live action series by Mari Natsuki.[2]
Takehiko Kihara (木原毅彦, Kihara Takehiko)
Takehiko Kihara is Kato's assistant. He is portrayed in the live action series by Tetsuhiro Ikeda.[2]
Media
Manga
Team Medical Dragon was created by doctor, writer, and medical journalist Akira Nagai [ja], and illustrated by Tarō Nogizaka [ja]. The series debuted in Shogakukan's seinen manga magazine Big Comic Superior on April 26, 2002.[a] Nagai died of liver cancer in 2004, and Nogizaka became the sole author of the series, with medical supervision taken by Mie Yoshinuma.[5] The series finished on January 28, 2011.[6][7] Shogakukan collected its chapters into twenty-five tankōbon volumes, released between September 30, 2002,[8] and February 26, 2011.[9]
lit. "The Awakening of the Dragon" (龍の目覚め, Ryū no Mezame)
lit. "A Patient We Can Kill" (死なせていい患者, Shinase tei Kanja)
lit. "The Interns of Japan" (日本の研修医, Nippon no Kenshūi)
lit. "Reality of Surgeons" (外科医の現実, Gekai no Genjitsu)
lit. "A Different Breed" (別の生き方, Betsu no Ikikata)
lit. "A Hospital Acquired Infection" (院内感染, Innai Kansen)
lit. "A Living Human" (生身の人間, Namami no Ningen)
Akira Katō is searching for Ryūtarou Asada, a prodigal surgeon who has been exiled from the medical field by a political figure, in order to use his skills to develop her thesis on the Batista procedure. After finding him, Akira makes arrangements to have Ryūtarou work at Meishin Medical University Center. During Ryūtarou's first surgery there, the lead surgeon decides to let the patient die after doing the minimal procedures needed to avoid a lawsuit; Ryūtarou takes over and saves the patient's life. That night, Ryūtarou and Noboru Ijūin, a medical intern, are put on call and a patient arrives needing an emergency appendectomy; Ryūtarou guides Noboru to the surgery and afterwards, decides to recruit him for the Batista procedure. Noboru goes to his side job at a hospital and finds Ryūtarou working there. A girl comes in requiring stitches on her scalp; Ryūtarou instead ties her hair with a surgical knot which is a better solution for that injury. The next day, Ryūtarou meets Keisuke Fujiyoshi, a cardiologist whose recent patient died due to a Hospital-acquired infection from an unnecessary surgery. Shortly after, two Meishin professors disregard Keisuke's diagnoses and plan a surgery for Keisuke's daughter.
lit. "A Doctor's Use of Violence" (医者の暴力, Isha no Bōryoku)
lit. "The Price of Changing Hospitals" (転院の代償, Tenin no Daishō)
lit. "The Death Bringing Pacemaker" (死を呼ぶペースメーカー, Shioyobu Pēsu Mēkā)
lit. "The Professor's Selected Model" (教授選定機種, Kyōju Sentei Kishu)
lit. "Those who Leave the Department" (医局を去る者, Ikyoku Osarumono)
lit. "Clinical Trial of an Anti-Cancer Agent" (抗ガン剤治験, Kōganzai Chiken)
lit. "The Will of the Patient" (患者の意志, Kanja no Ishi)
Having lost faith in Meishin's judgement, Keisuke runs away with his daughter to search for another hospital not affiliated with Meishin. On the way, Keisuke's Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome acts up and puts him in cardiac arrest; Ryūtarou is able to resuscitate him with a car battery and implants an Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator during surgery. Ryūtarou reviews Keisuke's daughter's diagnoses and agrees surgery is unnecessary and has Akira disregard the professors' diagnosis. Out of respect for Ryūtarou, Keisuke volunteers to join the Batista procedure for the pre/post surgery treatments. Later, Meishin a rise in admission of patients with Cardiac dysrhythmia; Ryūtarou investigates and discovers the artificial cardiac pacemaker endorsed by Takeo Noguchi, the professor of the cardiology department, is defective. After revealing that fact, the patients receive new pacemakers and Takeo shifts the pacemaker's fault onto another doctor to protect his reputation. Later, a Meishin doctor has his patient test a new medicine for cancer which, unknown to the patient, causes intense pain as a side effect. Ryūtarou reveals this fact to the patient's husband who requests a Hospice treatment for his wife.
A returning patient for suicide requires surgery. Afterwards, Ryūtarou shows the patient a video of her beating heart during surgery and encourages her to live on. Later, a foreigner requires emergency surgery but is rejected by all hospitals due to the lack of insurance. Ryūtarou takes the foreigner in and saves his life by using an atriocaval shunt. Meishin's professor meet to decide which department will pay for the previous surgery. Naoto Kitō, the professor of the emergency department, decides to pay as he intends to recruit Ryūtarou into his department. Akira finalizes the Batista team with: Ryūtarou as the lead surgeon; herself and Noboru as assistants; Miki Satohara, a surgical nurse and Ryūtarou's lover; and two fillers as the anesthesiologist and clinical engineer. Akira arranges an operation for the team to test their capabilities.
Akira receives two candidates afflicted with Dilated cardiomyopathy for the Batista procedure. Only one of them has a good chance of surviving causing her to be conflicted on whether to save both lives or sacrifice one for her thesis; Ryūtarou convinces her to rely on his abilities to save them both. Naoto arranges a meeting with Akira and asks her to give Ryūtarou to the emergency department in return for a vote in the professor candidate-ship. The Batista procedure begins and Ryūtarou requests the team to operate on the heart while it is beating. In doing so, he is able to detect the afflicted cardiac tissue through palpitation.
The manga was adapted into a series of live action dramas by Fuji TV.[33] Directed by both Satoshi Kubota and Naruhide Mizuta, the first season of the live action series was produced by Sōsuke Osabe and Yasuyuki Asuyuki with Koji Hayashi as the scriptwriter.[33] The series ran for 11 episodes which were broadcast on Fuji TV between April 13, 2006 and June 29, 2006.[33] The ending theme for the first season is "Believe" by Ai.[33] Fuji TV released a DVD box set on October 27, 2006.[34] The soundtrack for the series was released by Universal Sigma on June 7, 2006,[35] which was re-released by Universal Sigma on September 18, 2013.[36]
Directed by Hiroki Hayama, Kazunari Hoshino and Naruhide Mizuta, the second season of the live action series was produced by Sōsuke Osabe and Reiko Misao with Koji Hayashi as the scriptwriter.[37] The series ran for 11 episodes which were broadcast on Fuji TV between October 11, 2007 and December 20, 2007.[37] The ending theme for the second season is "One" by Ai.[37] Fuji TV released a DVD box set on April 16, 2008.[38] The soundtrack for the series was released by Universal Sigma on November 28, 2007,[39] which was re-released by Universal Sigma on September 18, 2013.[40]
Directed by Hiroki Hayama, Ryo Tanaka and Naruhide Mizuta, the third season of the live action series was produced by Tsuneya Watanabe with Koji Hayashi as the scriptwriter.[41] The series ran for 10 episodes which were broadcast on Fuji TV between October 14, 2010 and December 16, 2010.[41] The ending theme for the third season is "Door to the Future" (未来への扉, Mirai e no Tobira) by Deep.[41] Fuji TV released a DVD box set on April 6, 2011.[42] The soundtrack for the series was released by Universal Sigma on December 8, 2010.[43]
A fourth season of the drama was announced in 2013.[44] It was broadcast from January 9 to March 20, 2014.